Quick Facts: Where to Stay in Nicaragua
- Best hostel in León: Bigfoot Hostel
- Best hostel in Granada: Oasis Hostel
- Best hostel in Ometepe: Raindance
- Best luxury option in Ometepe: El Pital
- Best hostel in Popoyo: Big Surf House
- Best for volcano boarding: Bigfoot Hostel, León
- Typical hostel price: Around £8–£18 per night based on the hostels I stayed in
- Worth booking ahead: Raindance in Ometepe, particularly if you want a more conventional hostel experience
Which Hostel Should You Choose?
If you don’t want to read the whole page, here’s the short version:- Want a social hostel with organised activities? Bigfoot in León or Raindance on Ometepe.
- Want an easy, comfortable all-rounder? Oasis in Granada.
- Want a more luxurious stay? El Pital on Ometepe.
- Want a surf-town atmosphere? Big Surf House in Popoyo.
- Want to volcano board? Stay at Bigfoot in León.
- Want the easiest option in Granada? Don’t overthink the location — most of the good hostels are within about five minutes of each other.
Where to Stay in León
Bigfoot Hostel
Approx. £9.47 per night Bigfoot was perfectly decent as a hostel. The beds were comfortable enough, the showers and toilets were good, and there wasn’t really anything I disliked about the place. The tiny swimming pool, however, is almost pointless. It’s so small that I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do with it. The main reason I’d recommend staying at Bigfoot isn’t actually the hostel itself. It’s volcano boarding. Bigfoot is one of the biggest and best-known volcano boarding operators in León, and the experience is also where the hostel becomes much more social. I didn’t find the hostel particularly social during the day, but once you head out volcano boarding, you meet loads of other travellers. From there, it’s very easy to continue socialising afterwards. If volcano boarding is on your Nicaragua itinerary, I’d stay at Bigfoot. The convenience of doing the activity through the hostel, combined with the opportunity to meet other travellers, makes it an easy choice. My pick: Bigfoot if you’re in León for volcano boarding. Read more: León Travel Guide
Where to Stay in Granada
Oasis Hostel
Approx. £8.02 per night Oasis was probably the most straightforward recommendation of the trip. It’s a really good hostel in basically every regard. The rooms are good, the bathrooms and toilets are good, the food is good and it’s social without there being anything particularly overwhelming about it. It’s also very central. Granada isn’t a huge city, and most of the better-known backpacker hostels are within around a five-minute walk of each other, so you don’t need to overthink the location. There’s nothing particularly spectacular about Oasis that makes it a destination in itself, but that’s almost the point. It simply ticks pretty much every box you’d want from a hostel.Other Granada Hostels
Boca de Boca is another hostel I’d consider if Oasis isn’t available. With the main backpacker hostels clustered fairly close together, I’d be more concerned about the quality and atmosphere of the hostel than finding the absolute perfect location. My pick: Oasis. Read more: Granada Travel GuideWhere to Stay in Ometepe
Ometepe is where I’d put a little more thought into your accommodation. There aren’t quite as many obvious choices as in León or Granada, and the hostels can offer very different experiences. Whether you’re after a social backpacker hostel, somewhere a little more luxurious or something completely different, there are a few options worth considering.Raindance
If you’re looking for a conventional backpacker hostel experience on Ometepe, Raindance would be my first choice. Although I didn’t actually stay here, I spent a lot of time at Raindance during my visit, so I had a good opportunity to experience the atmosphere and facilities. It ticks pretty much all the boxes: good food, a great social atmosphere and a pool. It also has a pool table, although, like a surprising number of pool tables you’ll encounter while travelling, it’s seen better days. You quickly get used to playing on tables where the balls have a mind of their own. One of the biggest draws is that Raindance hosts Wet Wednesday, which has become one of Ometepe’s best-known backpacker parties. If you’re planning on going, staying at or spending time around Raindance makes a lot of sense. I’d consider booking a little further in advance than you might elsewhere in Nicaragua. There isn’t an enormous choice of accommodation on Ometepe, and the better options can fill up. My pick: Raindance for most backpackers.El Pital
If you’re looking to spend a little more on accommodation, El Pital is another option worth considering. This is probably the more luxurious choice on Ometepe, both in terms of its rooms and its food. The food in particular has a very good reputation, and it’s a step up from what you’d typically expect at a budget backpacker hostel. The trade-off is the price. It’s likely to be reasonably expensive by backpacker standards, so it won’t necessarily suit everyone travelling on a tighter budget. However, if you’re happy to spend a little extra for somewhere nicer to stay and eat, I’d definitely look into it.
Zopilote
Approx. £9.52 per night
Zopilote was more of a last resort for me because there wasn’t a huge amount of choice left when I was booking Ometepe. That said, it turned out to be a pretty memorable place to stay.
The whole hostel has a big focus on eco-tourism, sustainability and a very distinct hippie vibe. It generates its own electricity and is built around the idea of living more closely with the surrounding environment. The food is also entirely vegan, which is worth knowing before you book.
And you really are living in the environment.
My room didn’t actually have walls on all sides. It was partially open to the jungle, which is quite the experience when you’re staying on an island known for being windy.
When the wind picks up, you can hear the trees moving outside your room pretty loudly. I actually slept fine, but I can imagine that being a complete deal-breaker for some people.
Where to Stay in Popoyo
Big Surf House
Approx. £17.93 per night Big Surf House was a great hostel and easily my pick for Popoyo. Popoyo is a much smaller destination than León or Granada, so there’s nowhere near the same amount of accommodation choice. There are only a handful of genuinely good backpacker options, and importantly, some aren’t listed on Hostelworld. Don’t rely solely on Hostelworld when booking Popoyo. It’s worth searching Google and checking individual hostel websites before deciding where to stay. Big Surf House was a great place to spend a few days. The atmosphere was good, and there were plenty of things going on without it feeling like a huge party hostel. One particular highlight was the BBQ night. The lobster I had there was genuinely incredible. And, as anyone who has been following my travels for a while will probably know, the daily volleyball was a massive bonus for me. There are few better ways to spend an afternoon while travelling than playing volleyball with a bunch of other backpackers. If you’re heading to Popoyo, I’d make Big Surf House my first choice. My pick: Big Surf House. Read more: Popoyo Travel Guide
My Nicaragua Hostel Recommendations at a Glance
| Destination | Hostel | Approx. price | Why I’d choose it |
|---|---|---|---|
| León | Bigfoot | £9.47/night | Best for volcano boarding and meeting other travellers |
| Granada | Oasis | £8.02/night | Best all-round hostel and very central |
| Ometepe | Raindance | — | Best overall backpacker experience |
| Ometepe | El Pital | — | More luxurious rooms and excellent food |
| Ometepe | Zopilote | £9.52/night | Alternative eco/jungle experience |
| Popoyo | Big Surf House | £17.93/night | Great atmosphere, food and social scene |
Where Should You Stay in Nicaragua?
If you want the short version, this is what I’d book:
León → Bigfoot
Especially if you’re planning to volcano board. The hostel itself is good, but the real advantage is being with the same group of travellers heading out on the volcano boarding trip.
Granada → Oasis
It’s central, comfortable, social and good value. There’s little reason to overcomplicate it.
Ometepe → Raindance
I’d choose Raindance for the best balance of comfort, food and social atmosphere. El Pital is worth considering if you have a bigger budget and want something a little more luxurious.
Popoyo → Big Surf House
One of the better options in a destination where accommodation choice is more limited. Just remember that some of the best hostels in Popoyo aren’t necessarily on Hostelworld, so do some research before booking.
If I were doing the trip again, I’d book Bigfoot in León, Oasis in Granada, Raindance in Ometepe and Big Surf House in Popoyo.
Zopilote is the wildcard. It’s certainly memorable, but it wouldn’t be somewhere I’d rush back to.
Is Nicaragua Good for Backpackers?
Yes. Nicaragua is one of the easier countries in Central America to travel through as a backpacker, particularly along the popular León–Granada–Ometepe–Popoyo route.
Hostels are generally inexpensive, social and geared towards travellers moving through the country. The bigger difference is the type of experience you get at each one.
In León, the hostel can be a gateway into the volcano-boarding scene. In Granada, you’re mostly looking for a good all-round base. On Ometepe, the accommodation itself can be part of the experience, while Popoyo is much more about finding one of the good options in a relatively small surf town.
Do I Need to Book Hostels in Nicaragua in Advance?
Not necessarily, but I’d book ahead for the places where there’s limited choice.
Granada and León have enough hostel options that you have some flexibility. Ometepe and Popoyo are different. There are fewer genuinely good options, and some aren’t listed on Hostelworld.
For Ometepe in particular, I’d book ahead if you specifically want somewhere like Raindance.
Are Hostels in Nicaragua Expensive?
No. The hostels I stayed in ranged from roughly £8 to £18 per night, depending on the destination and hostel.
Granada was particularly cheap, with Oasis costing me around £8 per night, while Popoyo was more expensive at around £18 per night.
For a full breakdown of what I spent travelling through the country, see my Nicaragua travel cost guide.
What Is the Best Hostel in Nicaragua?
There isn’t one hostel I’d call the best across the whole country because each destination is different.
If I had to pick one based on my overall experience, I’d probably choose Big Surf House in Popoyo for the combination of atmosphere, food and activities.
But if you’re choosing based on destination, my recommendations are Bigfoot in León, Oasis in Granada, Raindance in Ometepe and Big Surf House in Popoyo.
Should I Stay in Hostels in Nicaragua?
If you’re backpacking Nicaragua, I’d strongly consider it.
The hostels are inexpensive and they’re one of the easiest ways to meet other travellers, particularly if you’re travelling solo. Some of the best experiences I had in Nicaragua came from the people I met through hostels and the activities organised around them.
Just don’t assume that every hostel is interchangeable. Zopilote on Ometepe, for example, is a completely different proposition from Oasis in Granada.
That’s part of what makes choosing where to stay worth thinking about.
